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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29946807">Sky Full of Flowers</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/hitsujixx/pseuds/hitsujixx'>hitsujixx</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Stray Kids (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>A little bit of angst, Advisors, Alternate Universe, Attempt at Humor, Bang Chan &amp; Lee Felix are Siblings, Best Friends, Crystals, Day Kingdom, Fluff, King Bang Chan, King minho, M/M, Nature, Nature Magic, Night Kingdom, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Running a Kingdom, council meetings, royal au, there will be other side ships</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 00:14:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,805</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29946807</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/hitsujixx/pseuds/hitsujixx</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The time you are born defines who you are.<br/>You either become a Day person or a Night person.<br/>These two kingdoms constantly fight with each other until one day a boy gets lost and accidentally crosses the border to the other kingdom.<br/>Said boy turns out to be a part of the royal family that might lead to the first truce between those kingdoms.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Bang Chan/Lee Minho | Lee Know</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello there!<br/>This is the first time I'm writing a multi-chapter fic so I'm a little bit nervous.<br/>Please note that English is not my first language, so there might be some mistakes in the fic. Don't hesitate to point them out!<br/>I have no idea where this plot is going. I will just follow my heart ♡<br/>I hope you like this!!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Bring the intruder"</p><p>Two guards bowed before they left the throne room to get the person they had caught wandering through the forest. Silence reigned in the room, everyone looking at the door. A day person was uncommon in a Night Kingdom after all. In only a few short seconds the guards went back, leading a short man with blonde hair towards the throne. He didn't seem to be in low class based on his clothes. He was wearing white pants and a ragged jabot shirt. His shoes were dirty, probably from walking around a muck. One of the guards, that had a firm grip on his arm thrown him to the floor. The man winced as pain shot through his knees at the contact with the icy floor. The king, tilted his head, glancing at the man before him who just looked up at him with widened eyes. </p><p>"Who are you and why were you sneaking around the forest?" The king asked, his face not showing any emotions. He was known for being cold during these times. One glance was enough to make the person in front of him feel timid or afraid.</p><p>"I-I wasn't sneaking around-" He stopped as he felt a prod to his back.</p><p>"You will adress our King as Your Majesty" the guard behind him snapped.</p><p>The man nodded then took a deep breath before continuing.</p><p>"I'm not a scout if that's what Your Majesty believes. My name is Felix and I'm a chef. I was picking wild blueberries for my pie but I got lost" He explained with a calm voice.</p><p>"Why should I believe you? No one can corroborate what you're saying" The king stated, tapping his fingers against the arms of the throne.</p><p>"I-" The man paused. He thought about his choices. If he revealed his true identity the king would either kill him or lock him up or even worse use him to extort something from his kingdom in exchange for his freedom. He didn't want that. "I can make you a pie? To improve my cooking skills"</p><p>"You really think high of yourself if you think we will let you near the castle kitchen" The guard, that was standing next to the throne snorted. His uniform was different from the others so he probably was the captain of the royal guard.</p><p>"Changbin" The king shot the guard a glare then looked back at Felix. "Anyone could be a scout, even a chef. Lock him in the dungeons. I need time to think of what to do with him"</p><p>Felix eyes widened. He heard the king was emotionless, but he didn't know he was that cold. He wanted to say something, anything to make the king believe him but he was stopped before he could even open his mouth.</p><p>"Bring the next person"</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>☾❀☽</p>
</div><p> </p><p>"Did you find him?" Chan asked, pacing the room nervously.</p><p>"I'm sorry Chan. The guards searched the entire castle. No one's seen him"</p><p>"Didn't he tell anyone where he's going?"</p><p>Jisung shook his head then stood before his friend as if he would bar his way. He put his hands on Chan's shoulders to calm him down. He felt the other relaxed his muscles a bit.</p><p>"I know you're worried but it's been only 6 hours. He might be in town. You know how he can spend a whole day there trying to find a perfect tomato even though they all look the same"</p><p>"You're right" Chan chuckled. His little brother Felix always paid a lot of attention to the quality of his ingredients, saying that wholesome and fresh ingredients were always necessary for really good food. He still remembered the day his brother had found his love for cooking and baking. Cynthia, one of their chefs, had shown a 5 years old Felix how to make a simple cake. Little Bang was so engrossed in it that no one had the heart to make him leave the kitchen. He was literally squealing in delight as he tasted his first ever made cake. After that day Felix became determined to improve his cooking skills. He wanted to be as good as Cynthia so he was practicing every day, doing the same cake over and over until he was satisfied with himself and learned new recipes. Unfortunately, Chan had to try all these cakes. The brownies still haunted his dreams to this day. Chan smiled fondly at the memory. "If he really went to town I will beat him myself for not telling me anything"</p><p>"Oh, I'm sure you will" JIsung said sarcastically "You will just hug him to death like always"</p><p>Chan just rolled his eyes but didn't deny that.</p><p>"What's the schedule for today?"</p><p>"There's a meeting with an augur, then the council and after lunch you will be free" Jisung read the notes from his notebook. He always had his notebook with him. Even if anyone stole it, his notes were almost unreadable. That's how messy they were.</p><p>"Okay, can you call Portia? I need to get ready"</p><p>"Of course, Your Majesty"</p><p>A few minutes later Portia appeared in his room, a woman that was responsible for styling the king. Portia was a really talented person, so she was not only his stylist but she also did his makeup and hair. Chan had suggested her finding someone to help many times, but she always refused. For today's meeting, she chose a white jabot shirt and pastel blue pants with the jacket in the same color. After his hair was done and his eyes beautifully highlighted he left the room. Jisung was already waiting for him behind the door and escorted him to the throne room.</p><p>Chan's nostrils suddenly picked up the delicate scent of flowers. Because of that, he knew they were close. A throne room was filled with many flowers. On his right were chairs prepared for the guests and his throne was placed at the end of the room. It looked like it just came out of the fae universe. Made from a natural tree with its roots visible at the bottom, cut in half and shaped in a way comfortable to sit on. The artist who made it left some branches sticking out from the seat, what made it look like they were 'protecting' the sitting person. The look of it made such an incredible impression on everyone who saw the throne. Chan took his place in his throne and waited for the garden boy to show up. A few minutes later the guard went through the door, Jeongin beside him. The younger male walked to the center of the room and bowed himself to Chan.</p><p>"Jeongin, can you give us a report?" He asked the gardener, smiling. He always had a soft spot for that boy.</p><p>"Your Majesty" Jeongin smiled, looking up at him. "Tulips didn't fold their petals so we don't have to worry about the rain today"</p><p>"That's good news. I will go on a walk later to enjoy the sun" Chan nodded, his smile grew wider.</p><p>"Yes, indeed. But Rhododendron bloomed today.."</p><p>"And what does it tell you?" He raised his eyebrow, sensing that Jeongin wasn't pleased with that.</p><p>"These flowers are really pretty. They symbolize elegance, wealth and ambudance" Chan nodded, but his shaky voice didn't go unnoticed by him. "But they're poisonous so they also represent danger and the possibility of something unwelcome or unpleasant happening."</p><p>"So it's a warning sign.."</p><p>"It doesn't have to be. But it's better to be prepared."</p><p>"I have a bad feeling it might have something to do with Felix disappearance"</p><p>"What do you mean, Your Majesty? Felix is missing?" Jeongin's eyes widened at the king's words. Chan forgot how close these two were.</p><p>"He left the palace and didn't tell anyone. It's been 6 hours and still no one's seen him" Jisung explained to the younger boy.</p><p>"He didn't tell me either-" Jeongin said, playing nervously with his fingers.</p><p>"Don't worry, Jeongin. We will find him. I'm sure he's okay" Jisung said to reassure him. He looked up at Chan and saw him forcing a smile. Jisung knew the king tried to stay calm not to worry the younger boy, but deep inside he felt anxious after what Jeongin had told him.</p><p>"Please let me know when he comes back"</p><p>"Of course" Chan said then took a deep breath as soon as Jeongin left the room. "What do you think about it, Jisung?"</p><p>"The flowers could be wrong, but I think it's a weird coincidence"</p><p>"Send guards to town to ask citizens if anyone saw or heard something" Chan ordered, sliding down in his chair and putting his face in his hands. Jisung went out to relay orders, leaving Chan alone for a moment.</p><p>"I'm such a bad brother-" Chan muttered to himself, straightening up when he heard the doors opening again.</p><p>"Your Majesty, the council is ready. Shall we start the meeting earlier?"</p><p>"Okay, let them in" He signaled him to allow the rest of the members inside the throne room. Usually, they met in the meeting chamber, but Chan didn't feel like it today.</p><p>The council members walked into the throne room and took their places.</p><p>"Who would like to start?" Chan asked, looking around their faces.</p><p>"Me, Your Majesty" Meredith raised her hand, she was in charge of the public image and getting citizens' opinion on matters relating to King's decisions. Meredith was a really friendly woman and it was easy for her to make strangers open up. That's why Chan hadn't even hesitated when he was offering her a position on his personal council. Chan gave her a signal to continue. "People are grateful for reducing taxes, Your Majesty"</p><p>"But? There's always a but" Chan chuckled lightly. He was on good terms with his council members, so he could let himself loosen up a bit.</p><p>"But they voiced their concerns about a possible war with the Night Kingdom"</p><p>"War? What caused that fear?"</p><p>"More and more people have gone missing. There are rumors that night people kidnapped them during the night to keep them hostage"</p><p>"Should we send guards at night to keep the town safe?" asked Harold, a military commander.</p><p>"It would tone down their anxiety" Chan hummed "Okay, Harold take care of that"</p><p>"But what about the Night Kingdom? Shouldn't we inspect that?" asked Remington. He was versed in financial matters, but his remarks about other things were always valid.</p><p>"If the rumors are true it means they're up to something" He thought out loud, then the warning sign came to his mind once again and it seemed that Jisung was thinking about that too.</p><p>"Your Majesty, I think you should let them know what the flowers said this time"</p><p>"What did they say? Does it have to do anything with the current situation?" asked Florence.</p><p>"Rhododendron bloomed. It's a symbol of caution and danger" Chan said, looking at their shocked faces.</p><p>"We should send guards to the border" said Harold, Remington agreed with him.</p><p>"Your Majesty.. I know I'm not responsible for this kind of things but can I ask something?" asked Arrabella, who has been quiet since the beginning of the meeting.</p><p>"Go ahead"</p><p>"People are scared of an upcoming war, but we're not sure what the other side thinks. We would send our guards there to protect our citizens, but the other side doesn't know it and might take it as showing off our strength. So if we send guards to the border, won't they think we're trying to attack them?" she said with a soft voice.</p><p>"So what do you suggest?"</p><p>"Why don't we propose a truce?"</p><p>"A truce?"</p><p>"We could send them an invitation. I would prepare the palace for their visit"</p><p>"It's not a bad idea, Arra. But we need a reason to do that. We're actually not on bad terms. We don't know if our people are missing because of them. If we suggest a truce, we would accuse them of that" Chan said, tapping his chin as he thought. The truce would be the best solution, but he didn't want the other side to misread their intentions.</p><p>They all agreed with the king then quickly changed the topic. Chan was grateful for that. That whole situation was stressing him out. Arrabella, who was responsible for the policy areas of culture, suggested doing a festival soon, saying it had been a long time since the last one. They discussed some ideas and Remington offered the amount of money they could spend for that. After an hour they were talking about food supplies. Florence, the gardener, was in the middle of describing the food situation when suddenly, a guard came to Jisung and whispered something into his ear. The king eyed them. If the guard came, then probably someone wanted to see the king.</p><p>"Your Majesty, someone would like to talk to you. They claim to know what happened to Felix" Jisung said, smiling lightly.</p><p>"Let them in" Chan said, trying not to sound too excited. </p><p>The door opened. A guard brought a short man in. He was in his work clothes, so he was probably interrupted by the guards during his work hours.</p><p>"Your Majesty" he said shyly, kneeling down beside him.</p><p>"What did you see Sir?" Chan asked with a soft tone, trying his best to make the man feel comfortable.</p><p>"At first I would like to apologize I didn't say anything sooner. I-I was scared and I didn't know the man I saw was a part of the royal family" He said, his voice cracked a little.</p><p>"It's okay, you didn't know"</p><p>"Thank you" He took a deep breath before looking up. "I saw him in the forest. I was getting back from hunting..I'm a butcher" The guards had probably checked if he could work as a butcher so Chan didn't ask for any documents. In his kingdom, only butchers were allowed to hunt. People were doing that for fun, wasting the meat so Chan made it clear there will be consequences for those who kill animals just to kill. "That's when I saw a man with blonde hair picking wild blueberries"</p><p>"How do we know it's Felix? It could be anyone" Remington pointed out.</p><p>"He had freckles-" the man said, looking down.</p><p>Someone on his left gasped, probably Meredith. Chan looked at the man expectantly.</p><p>"I saw him heading towards the border" He said, pausing as he realized he had said something he shouldn't have. "T-there's a part in the forest when you can cross the border without anyone noticing. He probably wasn't aware of that. I walked behind him to warn him but it was too late. There were two guards on the night side. They saw him, knocked him out then took him somewhere. I was scared they would notice me too so I hid in the bush"</p><p>Chan gripped the arm of the throne, taking a deep breath to calm himself down. The room went quiet. Everyone was shocked.</p><p>"Thank you. Remington, make sure he gets rewarded for his honesty" He said after few seconds, nodding towards the member of the council. When he saw him nodding back Chan looked at the butcher again.</p><p>"I-I'm glad I could help. Thank you for your generosity, Your Majesty" The butcher bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king and soon later the guards led him out.</p><p>There was a minute of silence before someone finally spoke up.</p><p>"So that explains the rumors" said Meredith.</p><p>"The people weren't kidnapped. The guards just detained the intruders" stated Florence.</p><p>"Should I send my best guards to take Felix out of there?" asked Harold.</p><p>Everyone waited for the King's decision. Chan looked up at Jisung. He nodded encouragingly, they understood each other without words.</p><p>"Now we have our reason to offer some sort of truce" Chan sighed "The truce in exchange for my brother"</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'd like to make a special thank you to my good friend Poli who made a cover for this fic and helped me plan the plot. You can find the cover on my twitter.<br/>Anyway, please tell me about your feelings &amp; thoughts in the comments ~</p><p> </p><p> <a href="https://twitter.com/hitsujiix?s=09">twitter</a><br/><a href="https://curiouscat.qa/hitsujiix">cc</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After crossing the border Jisung was expecting everything, but what he saw was beyond what he had at first imagined. A huge rocky bridge, standing over the stream, led to the impressive castle. There wasn't much green on this side, but a few weeping willows caught his eye. There was a strong dominance of gray and cold colors, what gave a strong mystique vibe. When they got closer to the castle Jisung could see purple climbing plants on the walls of the building. Even though Jisung preferred bright, warm colors, he had to admit this whole place was magnificent. </p>
<p>When the guards led him through the castle courtyard his jaw nearly dropped at the sight. The roof was open, what made this place look like some kind of planetarium. There was a perfect view of the starry sky, the moonlight shined through the hole into the graphite columns. He wasn't surprised when he saw a few people laying down under the stars. He would lay down too if he had a chance, but he wasn't here to admire the stars.</p>
<p>The guards led him through the building. They strode down winding corridors, up flights of stairs, what surprised Jisung. In their palace the throne room was really close to the entry, so the people wouldn't have a problem finding a way to it. But he got an impression, that the way to the throne room here was complicated on purpose. If that was the intention, he wasn't going to give up halfway. He just hoped he wouldn't have to find a way back on his own since the zigzagging between levels really confused him. But he was fine as long as the day guards, that came here with him, didn't lose their bearings that easily.</p>
<p>After around 15 minutes they finally got to the throne room, which was as beautiful as the rest of the building. The dominating colors were navy and graphite. The colors contrasted with each other. Jisung looked up on instinct but got disappointed once he didn't see an open sky. But instead, there was a pretty sky ceiling mosaic. Once he finally looked down he noticed the stairs at the end of the room, at the top was standing a throne made of crystals. A young man was sitting on the throne. He looked the same age as Chan. Even though Jisung couldn't see him clearly from a long distance he could still say the man was beautiful.</p>
<p>"Ham Jisung, am I right?" asked the king when Jisung finally stopped right before the throne and kneeled.</p>
<p>"Han Jisung, Your Majesty" Jisung corrected him, trying his best not to show how annoyed he was by his dismissive tone.</p>
<p>"Yeah, sure. To what do we owe the honour of your presence?"</p>
<p>"I came here to deliver a message from the Day King" he said calmly and continued once he saw the king nodding "The king invites you for the festival, that will soon happen in our kingdom"</p>
<p>"A festival? We've never been invited to your events before. Why the sudden change of heart?" asked the night king, intrigued.</p>
<p>"King Bang would like to meet you in person to discuss a truce"</p>
<p>A few people exchanged looks.</p>
<p>"A truce? I don't think we're on bad terms right now. You live your own life, we live our own. I don't see a reason to change that" said the king, playing with the ring on his right finger.</p>
<p>"I'm not saying we're on bad terms. But we encountered a little obstacle, so the king would like to solve it peacefully" the man on the throne raised his left eyebrow "We've heard that one person, who is the part of a royal family unknowingly crossed the border and made it on your side"</p>
<p>"Well, we've happened to have more intruders recently, but I don't recall anyone from a royal family" he shrugged.</p>
<p>"Is there a chance a small chef with freckles was here last night?" asked Jisung. He was getting worried that their source was wrong.</p>
<p>"Ahh that little chef? I do remember him" answered the king after a short pause "What's with him?"</p>
<p>"His name is Felix and he's our King's little brother" said Jisung, with a small smile on his face. He had no idea if Felix was safe, but at least he knew what had happened to him.</p>
<p>Silence reigned in the room. The crowd started whispering. The boy didn't hear what they were saying, but they were probably shocked. The Crown Prince being a Chef was unusual.</p>
<p>"Interesting" said the king then whispered something into the guard's ear on his right "So I guess the Day King would do anything to get his brother back?"</p>
<p>"Yes, Your Majesty" said Jisung, following the guard, that was leaving, with his eyes.</p>
<p>"Ah feelings. I've always said they make you weak" he muttered under his breath, but Jisung heard it "Okay. I accept your invitation. When will this festival take place?"</p>
<p>"On the Spring Equinox Day, Your Majesty" Jisung answered, happy that his visit went as planned.</p>
<p>"I see. You can tell your King I will be there" said the king. Suddenly the door opened and the guard came back with a hooded man in black at his side "But first, don't you think we should make sure we're talking about the same person?"</p>
<p>Jisung looked at the king confused, but then quickly realized what was going on when the guard took the mystery person his hood off. Felix was standing right before him. Alive and well.</p>
<p>"Felix.." a freckled boy looked up, his eyes widened at the sight of his friend. If the king's advisor was here it only meant that Chan knew about his situation.</p>
<p>"I can see you know each other" the king said before looking at the boy who was standing next to Changbin "Felix Bang, accept my apology. If only I knew you have royal blood in your veins, I would treat you more nicely"</p>
<p>"No. I apologize for not saying the whole truth" said Felix, breaking eye contact with Jisung to look at the King.</p>
<p>"Unfortunately, I can't let you go home yet. You will be my bargaining chip" he smiled, showing his teeth "But I promise you won't be locked in the dungeons again. You will spend this night as our guest"</p>
<p>Jisung took a deep breath. Their little Felix had spent a night in the dungeons. It had to be a traumatic feeling for someone who had spent their whole life living in luxury. He didn't like the fact he couldn't take Felix with him just now, but he understood the king's decision.</p>
<p>"Thank You, Your Majesty" Felix bowed, then smiled lightly at his friend, to let him know everything will be fine.</p>
<p>"When it comes to you, Jisung" the king directed his words towards the boy in front of him "You can stay for dinner. You're probably hungry after your journey here"</p>
<p>"Thank you for the invitation, Your Majesty" Jisung was a bit surprised by this sudden kindness "But I'd better head back to share positive news"</p>
<p>"Okay. We will prepare some food for the road then"</p>
<p>Jisung bowed, then looked at his friend for the last time before he was escorted from the room. Felix left the room a short moment later and just like the king had promised, he wasn't taken to the dungeons this time. They went to one of the guest rooms. But he wasn't exactly treated like a guest. In front of his room were standing two guards, who were there to make sure he didn't want to escape. But it was still better than sitting in the small cold cell.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, the meeting was coming to an end. After Angus reported the number of natural resources they had extracted, people finally left the room, leaving the king and his friend alone.</p>
<p>"What a tiring day. I wish I could just stay a whole day in bed with my cats" he whined while stretching on his throne.</p>
<p>"You still have to meet with Seungmin and the architect, who is responsible for your little gazebo" Changbin snorted.</p>
<p>"Hey! Stop making fun of my gazebo. You know well, that I can't go to the courtyard. There are too many people" the king pouted. He really just wanted to have his own little place, where he could go to relax and think.</p>
<p>"We can close the courtyard for a few hours, so you would have some time alone" his friend suggested, shrugging his shoulders.</p>
<p>"But I want my gazebo.." said a stubborn Minho, what made Changbin laugh. If anyone from the king's court saw how he behaved in private, no one would believe it was the same king they knew. Even Changbin had a hard time getting used to that serious side of his friend, but he understood it was his way to gain respect. He could only let himself be playful around his friends.</p>
<p>"Fine" he said, patting Minho's shoulder "But now tell me what are you planning to do with that little blonde boy?"</p>
<p>"We will go to see that festival" Minho shrugged.</p>
<p>"But you hate parties and events like that" Changbin pointed out.</p>
<p>"It might be interesting" he said with a smirk.</p>
<p>"Okay, you're scaring me. Tell me what's the plan"</p>
<p>"Do I need to have a plan? I'm just curious how far the king can go to get his little brother back"</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you for reading! <br/>Don't hesitate to comment or dm me to talk about the fic or Stray Kids in general. <br/>I hope you all have a nice weekend ! ♡</p>
<p> <a href="https://twitter.com/hitsujiix?s=09">twitter</a><br/><a href="https://curiouscat.qa/hitsujiix">cc</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Everyone was working at full capacity since dawn. The Festival was taking place in 3 days, so there was little time left. Since Spring Equinox was coming, Arrabella decided it was a good occasion to organize a festival. The city was occupied by stalls, dancers created a new choreography, and the kitchen staff prepared a lot of refreshments. Without Felix in the kitchen, anxiety could be sensed. His role temporarily took Cynthia, who was the second chef. Truthfully, Felix hadn't become a chef just because he descended from royalty. He had started like every cook, but he had surpassed his master at a very young age.</p>
<p>"Your Majesty should take a rest. We will take care of everything" said one of the servants.</p>
<p>The king nodded. He tried to keep his mind occupied with preparations for the whole day so he wouldn't have to think about his younger brother and Jisung, who had left the kingdom a few hours ago. Unfortunately, he couldn't hide his tiredness. A short nap wouldn't do any harm, since he hadn't slept a wink last night. He went to his chamber.</p>
<p>His room was at the west end of the palace, so uninvited guests wouldn't get there in an easy and fast way. Chan didn't like the fact it was the biggest bedroom in the whole building. He believed everyone should be treated equally. Moreover, feeling lonely was part of living alone in such a big room. That's why the king decided to fill that large space and transform it into a library. Behind the library, that was at the entry of the chamber, were two rooms: a bedroom and a dressing room. The king walked into the dressing room to change in some casual clothes to sleep, then went to his bedroom, where a huge double bed was standing in the middle. His loyal friend was already waiting for him on his bed.</p>
<p>"I'm sorry Berry to keep you waiting so long" he said, rubbing his dog's ears.</p>
<p>The dog wagged his tail, lying down next to his owner, who just slipped under the sheets. Without Berry, Chan would feel so much more lonely on this big bed. He smiled lightly and after few minutes of staring at the ceiling, he finally fell asleep.</p>
<p> </p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>☾❀☽</p>
</div><p> </p>
<p>Berry woke him up by licking his cheek. For a few seconds, Chan tried to avoid her tongue, but he gave up quickly and burst out laughing. Berry barked then left the room. Chan knew she tried to show him something, so he followed soon after to the other room.</p>
<p>"What happened? What do you want to show me Berry?"</p>
<p>"Me, aka the most beautiful man in the Day Kingdom" said Jisung, sticking his tongue out and showing a peace sign.</p>
<p>"Jisung!" Chan ran up to his friend to hug him "Is Felix okay? Did they accept an invitation? Tell me"</p>
<p>"Don't worry Chan" he managed to say "Felix is safe and sound"</p>
<p>"What a relief" he sighed, releasing him from a hug.</p>
<p>"The Night King accepted an invitation, but I doubt he will show up with Felix. He said he would use him as the bargaining chip.." he said, clenching his fists "He was such a dick. I wanted to go up the stairs and punch him"</p>
<p>"I'm glad you didn't do that. I would have 2 people to worry about"</p>
<p>"Prepare yourself it won't be easy. I got the impression, that this whole situation is just a game for him"</p>
<p>"I knew it won't be easy" Chan sighed "But I'm ready to take a risk"</p>
<p>"There's one more thing I need to tell you.." Jisung started, looking out the window "Felix spent the first night in the dungeons..what's worse the king admitted that more and more people go through the border"</p>
<p>Chan's eyes widened at the news. The king of the Night Kingdom probably hadn't known who Felix was, but still, as a Day person he had been treated badly"</p>
<p>"So we're not only fighting for Felix's freedom but all my people, they caught.."</p>
<p>"Exactly. The stakes are high" said the advisor "We've got a lot to lose, so we need to think very carefully about what we can offer"</p>
<p>"I haven't thought about it yet.." the king admitted "No matter what I offer, nothing will equal Felix and my people's freedom" </p>
<p>"Don't worry. We will think of something" assured him Jisung, placing a hand on his arm. Chan was grateful he had a friend like Jisung. Han was not only his advisor but also emotional support. Without him, the king would have given up many times.</p>
<p>"Thank you Jisung"</p>
<p> </p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>☾❀☽</p>
</div><p> </p>
<p>The day of the festival came. For the past two days Chan had been thinking hard about the meeting, that was about to happen. He was afraid and showed it only to Jisung, who tried to calm him down in many ways. They didn't know what else could they offer other than gold, but Chan was willing to settle for everything. He didn't know what to expect, since he didn't know the Night King personally. He only heard rumors. The previous day Chan had sent the guard on the other side to give them the details about the festival. If the Night king complied, they would be here in 30 minutes. </p>
<p>"Jisung, how do I look?"</p>
<p>"Like a scaredy cat" his advisor joked, what made Chan give him a glare "Chan, you have nothing to worry about. You look stunning as always"</p>
<p>Portia especially for today's event had sewed him a white tunic, embellished with delicate floral embroidery. Chan really liked this pattern, since he always preferred minimalism. He wanted to look his best. After all, it was the first time they would have guests from the outside.</p>
<p>"I'm afraid I will say the wrong thing and I will never get my brother's back"</p>
<p>"I hope this cold bastard has at least a little bit of sympathy"</p>
<p>"Jisung!" scolded him Chan. In private they could let themselves forget about the etiquette, but they were in a public place now.</p>
<p>"Sorry" said Jisung, giggling "We should go now. It's better if you welcome them yourself"</p>
<p>"Is it that time already?" Chan's eyes widened when he glanced at the clock on the wall "Is everything ready? Food? Seedlings?"</p>
<p>"Yes, but now come on or we will be late" Jisung grabbed the king's arm and pulled him lightly to the exit, where the guards and servants were already waiting.</p>
<p>Chan and Jisung went to the front line and slowly walked to the border, his people following after them. The king shouldn't be going on foot, but Chan was known for rebelling against the norms. He didn't like to act like he was better than others, so he preferred walking beside his people.</p>
<p>"Do you think they will like our little welcome gift?"</p>
<p>"I'm sure about that. Their castle was filled with crystals. They need to be fond of them, just as we're fond of flowers"</p>
<p>Chan nodded. They didn't know much about the other kingdom. Until now, they had lived separately and there had never been a chance to learn more about each other. He hoped Jisung was right. He didn't want to offend the other side in any way. He was interrupted from his thoughts by Jisung's voice.</p>
<p>"We're here. They should be here in a moment t-" he paused, as he saw shadows in the distance.</p>
<p>Chan looked up to see who was coming. Ten guards were on the front line. Behind them, the man spotted 4 horses. Chan noticed that each of these horses had a dark spot on their forehead. He only realized it wasn't a spot but a moon when they got closer. It had to be Night Kingdom's symbol. Among the guests, he could spot a few women, who probably were servants. However, he didn't see his brother anywhere.</p>
<p>"The king is in the middle. On his left is the captain of the royal guard. I don't know who the other two are.." whispered Jisung. Chan glanced at his friend, who was looking at the man with long hair on the king's right. He smiled lightly when he noticed a small blush on his cheeks. </p>
<p>"Your Majesty, it's a great honor to have you here. How was the journey?" asked Jisung, with his trained fake smile when the guards made way for the horses to pass.</p>
<p>The king sitting on the horse looked around the gathered people, frowning.</p>
<p>"Your King is clearly not happy if he can't even welcome us personally"</p>
<p>Silence reigned in the room, but Chan's giggle broke it. Minho looked at the man standing next to Jisung and only then he noticed the crown at the top of his head. He felt a little bit embarrassed, but he didn't show it. His face still emanated calm.</p>
<p>"Is Your Majesty saying that my clothes aren't posh enough for this occasion?" asked Chan with a smile.</p>
<p>"Oh, that's not what I meant. I was just surprised that Your Majesty is on foot.." said Minho.</p>
<p>"It might be confusing. My apologies, I'm not used to riding horses"</p>
<p>They stood there in silence just looking at each other. Chan had to admit, that the Night King was a very handsome man. Unlike Chan, he was wearing black clothes. He had a tunic and a cloak with a pretty, metal clasp. He didn't know why, but he was under the impression the other shined despite wearing dark clothes. Finally, Minho cleared his throat, breaking the eye contact. He dismounted his horse and showed the others to do the same. </p>
<p>"My people will take care of your horses" said Chan, nodding to his servants, who understood immediately and walked to the horses.</p>
<p>Minho stroked his mare around the poll to calm her down. Skye was a horse with trust issues, so he had to show her that those people wouldn't hurt her. Chan was watching the scene in front of him. Just like Jisung told him, the man was surrounded by the dark aura, but he only needed a few minutes to see the good in people. Even good people could have a black aura and after seeing his bond with the horse, Chan knew he wasn't bad. He smiled, glancing at his friend, who kept staring at that long-haired night man. Chan poked him lightly, bringing him back to earth. </p>
<p>"Jisung, the gift" the king reminded him "You can drool at the sight of that nobleman later"</p>
<p>"I'm not drolling.." Jisung muttered, his cheeks flushing bright red. He turned away to the side shyly then walked away to one of the servants. He took the jewelry casket out of the basket, she was holding and after few seconds he was once again standing next to his friend. Chan took the thing from his hands.</p>
<p>"Please accept this humble gift, Your Majesty" Chan walked to the Night King, smiling. Minho could now take a better look at him since he got closer. His heart skipped a beat at the sight of those cute dimples.</p>
<p>"Thank you" he said, opening the casket. Inside was a small green stone. One of his accompanies gasped loudly, looking at the gift over the king's shoulder.</p>
<p>"That's aventurine" he said then added, lowering his voice so only Minho could hear him "It's a rare crystal"</p>
<p>Minho was surprised. Was that a humble gift for the Day King?</p>
<p>"It's beautiful. Thank you" he smiled lightly, turning around to look at his friends. The man with long hair came to him with a dark wooden box.<br/>
He gave it to his king, then looked at the stranger, standing next to Chan. He winked at him before turning around and walking away like nothing had just happened. Jisung's eyes widened, his cheeks getting even more red than before. </p>
<p>"I'm not gonna lie, we don't know much about your festivals, but I heard you like to brew tea" said Minho, while opening the box "We don't have many plants on our side, but I hope this will be good enough for making tea"</p>
<p>"Is that..grass?" asked the Day King and Minho nodded. Chan looked at him with a puzzled expression, then immediately picked up his smile and wore it brightly "I'm sure we will use it. Thank you"</p>
<p>Chan took the box and gave it to Jisung, who was trying his best to keep himself from laughing. Then he turned to his guests.</p>
<p>"We shouldn't stay here all day. You didn't come here to see the festival from afar" he smiled then walked away, showing his guests to follow him.</p>
<p>The guests followed him, walking at a slow pace. Chan was telling him some stories about their kingdom and mentioned some traditions associated with the spring equinox, but it went in one ear and out the other. Minho had imagined the king would be handsome since his brother wasn't bad himself, but he hadn't known that the Day King would be totally his type. He felt hypnotized by his smile, which was one of the most genuine smiles he had ever seen. </p>
<p>"Is everything okay?" he felt a tap on his shoulder.</p>
<p>"No" he answered what made his friend frown "He has dimples.."</p>
<p>"Yeah, I noticed" Changbin giggled quietly.</p>
<p>"That's not fair. I wanted to play with his feelings.." whispered Minho, glancing at the Day King, who probably hadn't realized yet that no one was listening to him. No one but Hyunjin, who was walking suspiciously close to the king's advisor. </p>
<p>"Please, don't do anything stupid" said Changbin with a serious expression. He knew his friend well, so he knew how far Minho could go to get what he wanted "By the way, Seungmin wanted to tell you something important" he stepped back to make a place for Seungmin, who quickly ran up to them.</p>
<p>"What is it, Seungmin?" it had to be very important if the other couldn't wait.</p>
<p>"It's about that stone" he said, what aroused the king's interest "I could sense a really strong energy from it"</p>
<p>"Energy? What do you mean?"</p>
<p>"It's hard to explain. Aventurine is a stone of leaders. It develops leadership traits and increases abundance and wealth. However, I can feel something else, but I'm not exactly sure what it is yet"</p>
<p>"That's weird. If the stone is that strong, why would they give it away like that?"</p>
<p>"Maybe they don't know its meaning"</p>
<p>Seungmin was right. If they had known anything about that stone, they would have offered it in exchange for Felix instead of giving it as a gift. It probably was just an ornament for them.</p>
<p>"Oh, and here the main ceremony will take place, to which everyone is invited" Chan's voice brought him back to reality. He realized the king directed his words at him, so he nodded. Minho looked around and all he saw was sand and grass. What a weird place for the main ceremony.</p>
<p>They walked the rest of the way in silence. Minho was surprised they had given them such a warm welcome, considering why they were here in the first place. Everything seemed to be perfectly prepared. Minho didn't know if that was a way to impress the guests or the Day King was just a perfectionist. They could see the palace in the distance, to where they probably were heading. A warmth emanated from the building, in contrast to his own castle. The palace elevation was milky white, which imparted elegance. Multiple turrets and spires caught his attention. There were about a hundred of them. Minho was sure the view from the top of the garden surrounding the palace was magnificent, but he probably wouldn't have a chance to see it himself. They finally got to the palace a few minutes later, but to Minho's surprise, they weren't heading inside. The king led them to the garden, where the tables and a buffet were prepared. </p>
<p>"The weather is too nice to sit inside" said Chan with a bright smile.</p>
<p>The Day King assumably didn't know if his guests could stand the heat since umbrellas were attached to some tables. Minho was happy about that. He wasn't a big fan of sitting in the sun. The day people sat in the sun, and night people in the shade. Chan and Minho sat down with their friends at the table, which was half in shade.</p>
<p>"How do you like it here so far, Your Majesty? As far as I know, it's the exact opposite of your kingdom" asked Chan.</p>
<p>"It's not my cup of tea, but I must admit it's..cozy in here"</p>
<p>"I'm glad to hear that. I hope you will like our food too"</p>
<p>Minho didn't have time to answer, because all of a sudden servants came from each side and brought the food. Minho didn't know what to say so he just grabbed a fork and started trying those delicious dishes. They were acting like they didn't have an important matter to discuss. However, someone had to break the silence and Chan became that person.</p>
<p>"I hope you like the food. My brother's absence caused a lot of anxiety in our royal kitchen. Usually, he's the one who manages the kitchen and cheers everyone up" said calmly, looking at the Night King.</p>
<p>"I get it. I must admit I was a bit surprised to find that a member of the royal family works with servants"</p>
<p>"Felix has been passionate about cooking since he was a child. No one had the heart to tell him no" chuckled Chan, but his expression quickly changed to a serious one "My brother is really important to me, so I'm able to pay any price to get him back"</p>
<p>Minho quietly hoped he could relish the meal a little bit longer before they got to the point, but the king's rush was understandable. While he had been on his way to the meeting he was pondering a lot about how to use this situation. What came to his mind was haggling. He was curious how far the kingdom could go to get his brother back. Minho believed Chan would offer gold or even land, but he simply had no interest in any of these things. Chan had no idea he had already given them something more valuable than any gold. Honestly, after seeing the Day King he hadn't changed his mind at all. This whole situation was still a game to him, yet he had to admit he was intrigued by the king and didn't want this meeting to be their last. </p>
<p>"Doesn't Your Majesty think we should discuss that in private? Why don't we go for a little walk?"</p>
<p>"Does Your Majesty always discuss these kind of things in private?" asked Jisung, who was sitting on the king's left. He didn't like the fact he couldn't be present during their discussion.</p>
<p>"It all depends on my interlocutor" said Minho, winking at Chan. He heard one of his friends giggle behind him so he quickly glared at them.</p>
<p>"Okay. Let's go for a walk" said Chan, not realizing it was just an excuse to be alone. He stood up and gracefully offered his hand to help Minho stand up as well. Minho grabbed his hand, getting up from the chair. He glanced at Changbin, who was looking at him curiously. He hadn't had the time to share his plan with his friends, so they didn't know what was going inside the Night King's head. </p>
<p>They walked away from the rest, heading deep into the garden in silence. The garden was filled with colors and scents. It brought peace and harmony. Various flowers grew there in dense clumps - from the cultivated ones to the wild ones. Every plant seemed to have its own place. Near that flower carpet, Minho noticed a small wooden gazebo. He felt a pang of jealousy at the sight of it. He had always dreamt of a place where he could forget about the ruling. They walked closer to the gazebo and now Minho could see a large pond. Minho wasn't keen on warm colors, so only the purple flowers brought his attention, which grew close to the crystal water. He knelt down and touched its petals. He wanted to ask the king what type of flower it was, but when he turned his head he could see the king was tense. He decided not to keep him in suspense anymore. </p>
<p>"I will let all of your people out but Felix. We could use a little help in our kitchen" a few emotions went through Chan's face: happiness, confusion and sadness. Minho saw that Chan wasn't pleased with his decision, so he quickly added "But I'm not that cruel. Your Majesty will be able to visit his brother whenever he wants"</p>
<p>"Why?"</p>
<p>"I suggest we meet more often to improve relations between us. It's hard to work with a person you know nothing about"</p>
<p>"We can improve relations after you let Felix out"</p>
<p>"Then you will have everything you want. How do I know you will keep your word?"</p>
<p>"I always keep my word"</p>
<p>"I don't want to offend Your Majesty, but I won't believe it until I find out for myself" he stood up then looked Chan deeply in the eyes "Let me decide myself if you're worth my trust. Your brother's freedom will depend on it"</p>
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